Trolley-pole catcher



(No Model.)

M. M. WOOD. TROLLEYY POLE GATGHER.

No. 484,986. Patented Oct. 25, 1892.

mama's ezvzns co. PHOTO-LITHQ. wtsuwcmut n. cy

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MCNTRAVILLE M. wOoD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TROLLEY-PO LE CATCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,986, dated October 25, 1892.

Application filed June 4, 1891- Serial No. 395,074. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MONTRAVILLE M. WOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Trolley-Pole Catchers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to trolley-pole catchers or to means for catching the trolley-pole and for drawing it down when the trolley accidentally jumps from the conductor; and its obect is to provide a convenient device which shall accomplish the result referred to. It is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a car provided with my device and also showing in dotted lines the modification. Fig. 2 is a front view of the device. Fig. 3 is a cross-section therethrough on the line 3 Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4 4. Fig. 5 is a cross-section through the modification, showing the use of a weight.

Like parts are indicated by like letters in.

allthe figures.

A is a car supported on the trucksB on the track 13 and provided with the trolleypole C, carrying the trolley C, adapted to engage the trolley wires C and normally forced upwardly against the trolleywire by the spring C D is the rope whereby the trolley-pole is drawn downwardly. This rope D is secured to the loop D, pivoted by the bolt D to the end of the dog D which is provided with an enlarged sleeve-like portion D loose on one of the rods D ot' the reel D". This rope passes through a similar loop E, pivoted in like manner upon the bolt D The loop E, however, passes down one side of the bar D or sleeve while the loop D passes down the other s1 e.

F is a disk provided with the notch F to receive the dog and rigid upon the rod F which is fixed in the supports F F At either end of the rod F is placed a spiral spring G, secured to such rod and coiled within the case H on the end of the reel D The other end of the spring G extends through a slot in such case and is secured by a cross-pin J. The supports F F may be secured removably or permanently to the dash-board K or elsewhere, as may be found convenient and satisfactory.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 and in dotted lines in Fig. 1 a weight is substituted for the coil-springs. L is such .weight, supported within the dash-board, or, as suggested in dotted lines, in a case in the car, and connected or attached to a rope M, which passes over one or more pulleys N N, and thence is coiled upon the reel, so as when unwinding to turn the reel to wind up the coil D, and vice versa.

It is apparent that this device may be greatly altered Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The use and operation of inyinvention are as follows: When the car is proceeding in the usual manner, the trolley will catch the trol ley-wire, as shown in Fig. 1. The rope D will hang somewhat loose and will be connected to the reel. If now the trolley escapes from the trolley-wire the trolley attempts to rise, and if there be other cross-wires or obstructions in the atmosphere above the trolley-wire great damage may be done both by short-circuiting and bymechanical injury both to the trolley, the car, or to the object encountered. As soon, however, as the trolley begins to rise-as, for example, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l-the rope D is tightened by a smart pull, and the parts are so positioned-as indicated, for example, in Fig. 3that by said pull the cord bears strongly against the loop E, which, acting as a lever across the bar D as a fulcrum, raises the opposite end of the dog D and lifts it from the notch F, whereupon the coil-springs begin to expand and to wind the reel in the direction indicated by the arrow, the dog being held from engagement with the notch until the reel is rotated far enough to wind up a considerable portion of the cord, and thus bring the trolley down below the trolley-wire. The operator now by pulling upwardly upon the cord reverses the direction of rotation of the reel until the trolley is reseated against the wire, whereupon by holding the cord and slackening at the lower end the cord maybe pushed outwardly in the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, whereupon the loop D acts as a lever to force the dog D back into the notch F, when the parts will have assumed their original position, as indicated in full lines in'Fig. 1. The operation is the same in the case of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 5 or in the dotted lines in Fig. 1, though here a weight is substituted for the spring.

The catcher can be removably attached to the car, so that the trolley-rope may be used at eitherend of the car with the same catcher. 'Ijhe catching device may be moved and carried from one end of the car to the other. There might also be a trolley-catcher on each end of the car.

I claim- 1. In a trolley-catcher, the combination of a normally upwardly bearing trolley pole with a rope attached thereto and normally loose, a reel forsuch rope, and a motor to Wind the reel, and a catch normallylockin g the reel from rotation, but adapted to be released by tension on the rope.

2. In a trolley-catcher, the combinationof a normally upwardly bearing trolley pole with a rope attached thereto and normally loose, a reel for such rope, and a motor to wind the reel, and a catch normally locking the reel from rotation, but adapted to be released by tension on the rope, said catch consisting'of two opposing levers and a dog controlled thereby, said levers connected with the rope.

3. In a trolley-catcher, the combination of a normally upwardly-bearing trolley-pole w1th a rope attached thereto and normally loose, a reel for such rope, and a motor to Wind the reel, and a catch normally locking the reel I from rotation, butadaptedio be released by tensionon the rope;sa'idcatcherconsisting of a pivoted dog and two rope-levers, connected at one end to the dog and at the other end to the rope and oppositely fulcrumed.

4. In a trolley-catcher, the combination, with the trolley and its flexible connection, of the spring-actuated Winding cylinder or drum and the holding or releasing mechanism thereto, substantially as specified.

5. The trolley-catcher comprising the box or casing,-the winding drum or cylinder journaled therein, an actuating-spring in said drum or'cylinder, a ratchet on the end of the drum-shaft, and a pawl in engagement therewith, a trip for said pawl, and a flexible connection with the trolley-rope, substantially as specified.

6. In a trolley-catcher, the combination. of a spring-actuated winding cylinder or drum for the trolley-rope slack and a device for setting said spring and drum in operation.

7. ]n a trolley-catcher, the combination of a normally upwardlybearing trolley-pole with a rope attached thereto and normally hanging loose and a motor adapted to be set into operation to wind the rope and pull down the trolley when the trolley-wheel escapes from the wire.

MONTRAVILIIE M. WOOD.

Witnesses:

CELESTE P. CHAPMAN, HARRIET M. DAY. 

